Rembrandt Vs. Vincent Van Gogh

Self portrait is one of the form of art that artist would draw themselves in a creative perspective. In our today’s society, self portrait can be created in various medium. The most common and easiest one is photograph. However before the photograph was invented, paintings were the medium in which people would portray and draw themselves. Famous self portrait artists such as the Dutch artists Rembrandt and Vincent van Gogh. These two artists spent most of their time working on painting themselves. However, these two Dutch painters have different artistic style and meaning when it comes to self portrait.

Rembrandt was born on July 15, 1606 in Leiden, Netherland. Rembrandt did not grew up from a family artist; his father was a miller, and his

mother was a baker. During his early years, he studied seven years in Latin School and went to the University of Leiden. While in school in school, he met Jacob van Swanenburgh and Pieter Lastman in which it had influenced his vivid and high gloss painting style (Rollyson). Also, it was the Baroque time period in which started in the 17th century. The artstyle of the Baroque is about a sense of movement, energy, and tension. Chiaroscuro, high contrast, vivid textures, and religious theme were the few characteristics of the Baroque art (“Baroque Art and Architecture). Rembrandt was inspired and followed the new painting style that led many of his artworks; the most prominent artworks are his self portraits. He religiously worked on his artwork during his physical prime, but as the time passes by, he began to spend more than he made. As he reaches his later years, he was unable to keep up with his financial debts and declared himself bankrupt. He lost his home in Jodenbreestraat, and various of his prized possessions such as his artworks, exotic shells, stuffed birds, etc (Koster 61). Eventually, he died on October 4, 1669 in Amsterdam, Netherland (van de Wetering 283-291).
The post-impressionist Vincent van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853 in Zundert, Netherland. Vincent enjoyed a happy, quiet childhood and was attached to the natural world. He adored the solitude life throughout his lifetime. Nevertheless, he became very fond with his brother Theodorus during his childhood, which Theo influenced Vincent’s artistic hobby (McConeell). The uncertain Vincent did not started painting professionally until his late 20s. During his early 20s, he was an art dealer but lost the job after having various arguments with customers. He was afraid that he was incapable of painting properly so his brother Theo and relatives encouraged Vincent to start painting regardless of his skepticism. During his early stage of being painters, he had created one of the masterpiece that he have made, The Potato Eater. Throughout Vincent’s lifetime, Theo had provided him everything for his studio and gave him money so could keep up with his artistic hobby. As Vincent mental health started to deteriorate, he ended up cutting up his ear after a violent disagreement with his painter friend Paul (Koster 103). As his depression worsen, he eventually shot himself in the stomach and died on July 29, 1890. Throughout his lifetime, he have only sold one painting (McConeell). Soon people found out his artworks and became one of the well known artist as for today.
The first pair of self portraits is when Rembrandt was young (Fig. 1) and when van Gogh cut off his ear (Fig. 2). Rembrandt's self portrait is very different from van Gogh’s self portrait. For example, Rembrandt's Self portrait is about a young man wearing a black robe gazing out of the painting. While van Gogh is about a middled-age man with a bandage wrapped around his head. Although Rembrandt and van Gogh are posing at a similar angle, there are different background between these two self portraits. Van Gogh’s self portrait has a background, which is an interior wall with a blank canvas and a painting of two people. However, Rembrandt's self portrait has no background.
The second difference between these two self portraits are the compositions. Rembrandt's self portrait seems to be a close composition as the painting does not suggest any outside influence. Nevertheless, Van Gogh’s self portrait seems to be open composition as we see the blank canvas and the door on the background are not fully shown on the painting. The second evidences for these two self portraits are the blushstrokes. For instance, van Gogh’s portrait has rough blush strokes while Remblandt has flawless blushstrokes. The difference blush strokes between these two artist are most likely from the influence that they gathered. Remblandt is a Baroque artist which is about creating vivid, realistic image by having flawless blushstrokes and high contrast (“Baroque Art and Architecture”); while van Gogh is a post-impressionist artist, which is about conveying feelings and saturated colors (Homburg, et la. 7). Colors play a big role for these two self portraits. Van Gogh’s portrait has bright, saturated colors. For example, the paintings has saturated blue color on the coat and the wall is bright yellow color (Fig. 2). However, Rembrandt's portrait has a high contrast colors. The dark-red hair and the black robe are lifelike colors as the painting portrays (Fig. 1).
The third difference between these two self portraits are the visual elements. Lines demonstrate the difference between Rembrandt and van Gogh’s self portraits. Lines are visible in van Gogh’s portrait as the hard blush strokes reveal. Also, the rough edges of the objects and van Gogh’s body outlines has lines. Nonetheless, Rembrandt’s portrait has almost no line except for his body outline. Chiaroscuro plays a big role on Rembrandt's portrait; the shadows that is portraying around Rembrandt's body creates the three dimensional feel. It seems as if the self portrait was taken professionally as the light is hitting on the left side of Remblandt; Thus creating a shadow on the right side of his face. Regardless, van Gogh’s portrait has no chiaroscuro, which it makes the portrait a two dimensional painting. Since Remblandt has chiaroscuro in his portrait, it has mass. While Rembrandt's self portrait has mass, van Gogh does not have any mass as he does not have any chiaroscuro.
The second pair is when Remblandt is old and when van Gogh is in his 30s. In Rembrandt's self portrait, Rembrandt is wearing a coat and a fashionable hat, which both of these items are most likely expensive (Fig. 3). Also, there is no background in this self portrait; similar from the previous self portrait. In van Gogh’s self portrait, van Gogh is wearing a black jacket (Fig. 4). Perhaps the two of the similar aspects between Rembrandt and van Gogh is the background and lighting. It seems van Gogh is trying to imitate Rembrandt style; the pose, the lighting on the left, and the empty background. During certain period of time, van Gogh was inspired by Rembrandt’s artworks and decided to borrow a few elements from him:
“Especially the mention of Rembrandt and Daumier would have resonated with van Gogh, who admired these two artists greatly and wanted to follow in their foot steps-as much as he intended to be part of the modern school” (Homburg, et la. 14)
Van Gogh followed Rembrandt art style as he was awe by the vivid details in many Rembrandt’s self portrait.
Although there are various difference between van Gogh and Rembrandt self portraits, the compositions of these two self portrait are similar. In Rembrandt’s self portrait, it is a closed composition as the earlier self portrait (Fig. 1 and 3). Similarly both of Rembrandt’s self portrait seem to be looking out of the painting as if he was watching the viewer through. In addition, van Gogh’s self portrait is a closed composition (Fig. 4). The reason it is a close composition instead of a open composition is that there is no evidence that suggest that there is an outside influence. Also, the color composition between these two self portrait are similar. Similarly as Rembrandt earlier self portrait, the self portrait has high contrast color to create the fine details. The robes gives a dark color and the creamy color creates the realistic colors. In addition, van Gogh followed Rembrandt’s artistic style. Beside the rough blush strokes. The color is very similar to Rembrandt’s portrait. Instead of saturated colors, he uses high contrast colors like the dark robe and the creamy skin texture.
There may be similarities on the composition between theses two self portraits, but the visual elements portray the differences. For examples, the lines in van Gogh’s self portrait are prominent. The rough blush strokes and the body outline represent the notable lines. However, Rembrandt’s does not have any significant lines beside the body outline. Another distinctions are the use of chiaroscuro. Chiaroscuro is an important aspect of Rembrandt’s artworks. For instance, the shadows around his body and the right side of his face; same as the previous Rembrandt’s self portrait. However, van Gogh used the chiaroscuro on his self portrait but it is not dramatically as Rembrandt. The light is hitting on left side of his face so the shadows is in dark parts of the portraits.
Lastly, the final pair is when Rembrandt is at his final years and when van Gogh at his final years as well.

In Rembrandt’ self portrait, he is wearing a very fashionable clothes (Fig. 5). Same as the previous two self portraits; It has no background. In van Gogh’s self portrait, he is wearing a blue suit (Fig. 6). Also, he is standing at a different angle when comparing with his previous two self portraits. The most prominent features when comparing the three Rembrandt’s self portraits is the decline of his details. Wetering mentions on his book when Rembrandt was getting older, he started to lose his sharp blush strokes: “ Rembrandt uses the blush more loosely and fleetingly, and avoids sharpness in his contour and inner drawing” (172). If we compare the two of his self portraits (Fig. 1 and 5), then we can see in his earlier self portrait has some flawless details. However, when we see his other self portraits, it has some flaws especially on his face; the distortion on his eyelids and forehead. Furthermore, van Gogh has some progression with his blush strokes. For example, the previous self portraits (Fig. 4) has some rough, straight blush strokes, but the latest self portrait has wavy, curvy blushstrokes. This dramatically change of blush strokes is most likely when van Gogh’s mental health was starting to break down. As his health is getting worser, his wavy blush strokes get prominent

(McConnell).
The composition between the two self portraits of Rembrandt and van Gogh are different from each other.

Similarly from his previous two self portraits, Rembrandt’s self portrait is a closed composition and with no background. Nonetheless, van Gogh’s self portrait is open composition because of his background that portrays that he is a void of space. When it comes to color between these two self portraits, there are distinct features. In Rembrandt’s self portrait, there are high contrast colors as he would with his other self portraits. While van Gogh is about saturated colors as the self portraits portrays.

Finally, another distinction between the two self portraits are the visual elements. Rembrandt’s self portrait has no line except for his body outline, while van Gogh has various lines like his curvy lines all around the portrait. There is chiaroscuro in Rembrandt’s self portrait being applied around his body, while van Gogh does not have any chiaroscuro.

Both of these artists, Rembrandt and Vincent van Gogh, did self portraits most of their lives. Although they are very distinct from each other based off composition and visual elements, they share a common goal. They drew self portraits because they felt it was their duty to paint themselves in a whole new perspective. Even though they had downfall of their lives, they left their legacy in which many people will cherish for many generations to

come.